Bayern Munich travel to Greece to face AEK Athens in the Champions League on Tuesday boosted by a Bundesliga win that “felt like a liberation” after their miserable run of form and a stormy week behind the scenes.
The pressure was mounting on the German champions and new coach Niko Kovac during a four-match winless run to the extent that senior club figures including Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeness launched a stunning attack on the media.
But Saturday’s 3-1 win over Wolfsburg, in which Robert Lewandowski scored twice to end a five-game goal drought, is being hailed as a potential turning point for Bayern’s season. “That felt like a liberation,” said centre-back Mats Hummels, while sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic was equally relieved, saying: “We have shown character in a difficult phase.”
